policy and politics from a local government and democracy viewpoint, written by the team at LGiU

Local elections 2011 – approx. voting / counting / result timings

THURSDAY 5 MAY (all timings BST)
• 7am: Polls open for elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, Northern Ireland Assembly, English and Northern Irish councils, for the alternative vote referendum and the Leicester South by-election.
• 10pm: Polls close. Counting begins in some Scottish and Welsh seats and in some English councils
• 11.30pm: Results begin to come in from some of the early declaring English councils. Sunderland is usually first to publish its result – just as it is at a general election.FRIDAY 6 MAY – MORNING (all timings approximate: BST)
• 0130: A fuller picture of the results in England is expected to emerge. Some key councils – such as Sheffield, Hull and Bury – may have completed their counts.
• 0230: The first Scottish and Welsh constituency results are expected.
• 0400: By this stage, constituency results are expected to be coming thick and fast from both Scotland and Wales including Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Cardiff.
• 0600: The first results from regional list elections in Scotland and Wales are expected to be declared over breakfast.
• 0730: Counting starts in the Leicester South UK by-election
• 0800: Counting begins in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
• 0900: Counting begins for those Scottish and Welsh seats that did not count overnight.
• 1130: Results begin to come in from the approximately 160 English councils that did not count overnight – including Brighton, Leeds and Blackpool.FRIDAY 6 MAY – AFTERNOON (all timings approximate: BST)
• 1300: The turnout figures for the alternative vote referendum are announced.
• 1400: Some early results for the Northern Ireland Assembly constituencies are expected by now.
• 1530: All counts should be completed for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.
• 1600: Counting begins around the country for the AV referendum.
• 1730: First results expected for the AV referendum.
• 1900: As the results come, a fuller picture is expected to have emerged of the referendum outcome.
• 2000: The result of the Leicester South UK parliamentary is expected by now. However, it could be much earlier.
• 2000: The official result of the AV referendum is expected to be declared.SATURDAY 7 MAY (all timings approximate: BST)
• 1700: The final results of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections are expected to be announced.MONDAY 9 MAY (all timings BST)
• 0900: Counting in Northern Ireland council elections to begin